Establishing the Product Vision and Project Scope

88 Part II Software Requirements Development
3.3 Limitationsand Exclusions
Defining the boundary between what's in and what's out is a way to manage
scope creep and customer expectations. List any product capabilities or characteristics
that a stakeholder might anticipate but that are not planned for inclusion
in the product or in a specific release.
4. Business Context
This section summarizes some of the project's business issues, including profiles
of major stakeholder categories and management's priorities for the
project.
4.1 Stakeholder Profiles
Stakeholders are the individuals, groups, or organizations who are actively
involved in a project, are affected by its outcome, or are able to influence its
outcome (Project Management Institute 2000; Smith 2000). The stakeholder profiles
describe different categories of customers and other key stakeholders for
this project. You needn't describe every stakeholder group, such as legal staff
who must check for compliance with pertinent laws. Focus on different types of
customers, target market segments, and the different user classes within those
segments. Each stakeholder profile should include the following information:
• The major value or benefit that the stakeholder will receive from the
product and how the product will generate high customer satisfaction.
Stakeholder value might include
:::1 Improved productivity.
u Reduced rework.
u Cost savings.
:..l Streamlined business processes.
:..l Automation of previously manual tasks.
c..J Ability to perform entirely new tasks.
Q Compliance with pertinent standards or regulations.
'.J Improved usability compared to current products.
• Their likely attitudes toward the product.
• Major features and characteristics of interest.
• Any known constraints that must be accommodated.